Councillor John Sprovieri called the Lincoln a “gas guzzler” and asked why Fennell needed such an expensive vehicle, on top of her $46,000-a-year limo service.

“Look at Mayor McCallion, here’s this 92-year old mayor and she drives herself,” Sprovieri said. Councillor Sandra Hames responded, saying that Fennell needs a driver because of her busy schedule.

Addressing her car and limo service cost Fennell said, “For 24/7 coverage I’m not going to apologize.” She said she gets thousands of invitations a year to attend events. “That is how I do the job as mayor.”

Council approved a 2.9 per cent increase to the city’s portion of the 2014 property tax bill, which will have to be amended later to find $44 million for long-overdue road widening. That sum will need to be covered, over the next two years, by taking on debt or reallocating money from the proposed capital budget.

Blended with the Peel Region tax (rising a projected 0.6 per cent) and education taxes, the overall tax increase for Brampton property owners will come to a projected 1.8 per cent. Brampton’s share of that hike represents an extra $51 on an average home assessed at $364,000.

At Wednesday’s meeting several councillors said Brampton residents have expressed widespread anger over Fennell’s cost to taxpayers. She expensed $186,000 in less than three years, has $70,000 a year in driver and car costs, and her $213,000 salary in 2012, including her pay for sitting on Peel Region council, made her the highest paid mayor in Canada.

Expensing items such as personalized barbecue aprons, on which Fennell spent $2,100, is no longer allowed. Fennell will also lose the $60,000 a year she was allowed for community sponsorships.

More on thestar.com

We value respectful and thoughtful discussion. Readers are encouraged to flag comments that fail to meet the standards outlined in our
Community Code of Conduct.
For further information, including our legal guidelines, please see our full website
Terms and Conditions.